SE Asia Stocks-Most firm; Indonesia slips after hitting record

Reuters Staff

3 Min Read

* Asian shares ex-Japan set record after strong China growth
data
* Vietnam climbs more than 1 pct with broad-based gains
* Singapore heads for fourth straight winning week
By Devika Syamnath
Jan 19 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets firmed
on Friday and were on track to end the week higher as broader
Asian shares climbed to an all-time top on data that showed
China's growth accelerated in 2017 for the first time in seven
years.
However, overnight losses on Wall Street and a potential
U.S. government shutdown stirred caution, putting a lid on gains
in Asian shares.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
climbed 0.3 percent to an all-time peak.
Vietnam, the top year-to-date gainer in Southeast
Asia in percentage terms, rose more than 1 percent, with gains
across the board.
Vincom Retail and Vietjet Aviation set
records, climbing 4.9 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively.
Singapore shares rose 0.5 percent and were on course
to finish their fourth consecutive week higher.
Financials accounted for most of the gains, with top lenders
United Overseas Bank Ltd, DBS Group and
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp posting gains in the
range of 0.7 percent and 1 percent.
Philippine stocks also rose as much as 0.5 percent,
with banks and utilities leading the gainers, putting the index
on track to end the week higher.
Bank of the Philippine Islands climbed 6 pct to an
all-time high, while BDO Unibank firmed 3.2 percent.
Indonesian shares hit a record in early trading, but
later retreated as much as 0.3 percent, weighed down by
financials and telecom stocks. However, the index was still on
track to gain 1.4 percent this week.
The index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks
fell as much as 0.6 percent in the session.
For Asian Companies click;
SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0338 GMT
Change on day
Market Current Previous Pct Move
close
Singapore 3534.09 3521.31 0.36
Bangkok 1816.61 1819.32 -0.15
Manila 8842.73 8820.74 0.25
Jakarta 6452.122 6472.666 -0.32
Kuala Lumpur 1826.34 1821.6 0.26
Ho Chi Minh 1059.25 1050.25 0.86
Change on year
Market Current End 2017 Pct Move
Singapore 3534.09 3402.92 3.85
Bangkok 1816.61 1753.71 3.59
Manila 8842.73 8558.42 3.32
Jakarta 6452.122 6355.654 1.52
Kuala Lumpur 1826.34 1796.81 1.64
Ho Chi Minh 1059.25 984.24 7.62
(Reporting by Devika Syamnath in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha
Gayathri)